Chapter Two: Who Is the Fiancé?

The spacious office was immaculate. Towering floor-to-ceiling windows of reinforced, UV-resistant glass let in gentle sunlight, which danced across the high-hung Suliu crystal chandelier. European-style vintage curtains hung quietly to one side, lending an air of refined grace. Atop the streamlined rosewood desk, a pot of pinkish-purple moth orchids bloomed elegantly, their delicate petals a feast for the eyes. On the matching rosewood bookshelf, bilingual tomes on business lined the shelves in perfect order.

Everything exuded tranquility—fresh, understated sophistication. This was Qin Mengxue’s office: simple, yet not lacking in grandeur.

Yet within this harmonious setting, Qin Mengxue sat rigid in her leather chair, her face ashen and clouded. One hand clutched her phone, trembling; the other pressed a dainty fist hard against the desk. The good mood she’d enjoyed just moments ago had been shattered, leaving only anger simmering beneath the surface.

“Hello, Xiaoxue, can you hear me? It’s your grandfather. Remember what I told you yesterday? Your fiancé is coming—should be arriving today. Make arrangements!” Old Master Qin Yichen’s voice boomed from the other end of the line, brash and commanding.

“Grandpa, I really don’t want to get married. I’m only twenty-three! I’m not an old maid—I want to break off the engagement. Please, Grandpa, your granddaughter truly doesn’t want to marry!” Qin Mengxue was forced to feign pitifulness, hoping for a sliver of sympathy.

“No!” thundered the old man. “When I say something, it’s as good as if nailed to the wall! You want me to break the engagement? Not a chance! You’re young—that’s perfect. Give me plenty of grandsons while you still can. Wait too long and you’ll be too old!”

“Grandpa—can’t my eldest brother handle the childbearing? He’s older than me, let him go first. I’m really not in a hurry.” Qin Mengxue didn’t hesitate to put on a coy act, even selling out her cousin, Qin Chuzan, whom she hadn’t seen in years.

“No use! Not up for discussion! Chuzan can sort out his own affairs. Your marriage is your responsibility. Besides, the other family is powerful and influential—breaking the engagement is out of the question!” Normally the old patriarch might have melted at his granddaughter’s wheedling, but not today. He was adamant.

The other family, powerful and influential—Qin Mengxue’s sharp, beautiful eyes flickered as she recalled the close ties between her grandfather’s family and another. A sudden realization struck. “Grandpa, don’t tell me you mean the Xue family... Xue Renhai’s family?”

What kind of family was the Xue clan? Old Master Xue Renhai—the nation’s second-ranked Prime Minister, a venerable figure whose face frequently appeared on the world’s television screens. The eldest son, Xue Xiwen, was Commander of the Northeast Military District. Though childless, he’d played a leading role in numerous international counter-terrorism operations. The second son, Xue Xiu, was a martial arts fanatic who had devoted his life to study and remained a lifelong bachelor. The third son, Xue Xishuang, was Commander of the Southeast Military District and son-in-law to the prominent Song family of the south. The fourth, Xue Xiquan, led a life shrouded in mystery—his reputation might not be as loud, but no one dared underestimate him. The entire Xue family was a gathering place for heroes, one of the true great houses of the nation.

“How should you address him? That’s the country’s number two! You’d just call him by name? You impudent girl! Show some respect! Listen, I’ll be direct: your fiancé is the Xue family’s eldest young master. Unless something goes awry, he’ll be at your place today!”

“Grandpa, you can’t sell me off! Please, Grandpa, I really don’t want to get married!” The thought of marrying the Xue family’s only young master, Xue Gangtao, made Qin Mengxue’s head spin.

And who was Xue Gangtao? Son of Xue Xishuang, Commander of the Southeast Military District; maternal grandson of Prime Minister Xue Renhai; the intractable eldest young master of the southeast. The Xue family’s second generation was full of luminaries, yet most had no heirs. In the third generation, Xue Gangtao was the sole male descendant. While his uncles were renowned across the land, Xue Gangtao himself was infamous in rather different circles. His reputation was notorious: gambling, womanizing, drinking, carousing—he’d mastered all the vices. To Old Master Xue, he was both a source of pride and of exasperation: proud, because he was the family’s grandson; vexed, because the young master was a hopeless wastrel.

Even Qin Mengxue had heard his infamous motto: “This young master will never be tied to one tree for life—the truest fulfillment is a harem!” Marrying such a man would be worse than death.

“Enough with the whining! This is final! Either stop calling yourself a Qin and get out of the family, or obediently prepare for marriage!” The old man’s patience had worn thin; he roared so loudly into the phone it sounded like thunder. The force of it startled Qin Mengxue into a daze, her mind blanking. Before she could muster a response, he hung up.

The busy signal droned in her ear as she sat there, stunned, her eyes gradually reddening. Was she even his granddaughter anymore? Why did it feel as if she’d been picked up off the street—sold off by a long-ago promise, delivered into the hands of a scoundrel.

Qin Mengxue had never dated, but as a woman, she’d dreamed at least a little of her future partner—not necessarily a prince on a cloud, but at least a gentleman, a man of some decency. Reality, however, had handed her a fiancé who was anything but: a debauched young master, not even astride a white horse, but a mule.

She recalled seeing Xue Gangtao at last month’s charity gala—remembered the mocking glint in his eyes as he looked at her. No wonder Grandpa was pushing so hard; before his retirement, Old Master Qin had also been Commander of the Southeast Military District, and after him, Xue Xiquan had inherited the role. It was blatant nepotism—selling her off for personal gain.

Qin Mengxue’s eyes grew even redder, her heart a bitter tangle of resentment, humiliation, and sorrow. Furiously wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes, she flipped open the charity gala’s guest list. She would call Xue Gangtao herself and end this engagement.

Finding his number, she dialed directly. After two rings, the call was picked up. “Hello, who is this?” Xue Gangtao sounded confused, seeing an unfamiliar Tianyang City number; he opted for politeness.

“This is Qin Mengxue,” she replied, struggling to keep her voice steady despite the turmoil within.

“Oh, Miss Qin. What can I do for you?” He still sounded puzzled, but then seemed to recall seeing her at the charity gala—a stunning beauty, though her frosty demeanor had left little impression. Xue Gangtao, a man of many pursuits, never wasted warmth on cold shoulders.

“Drop the act! Let me tell you right now, Xue Gangtao: there’s no way I’d ever marry a degenerate like you. You figure out how to break off the engagement!” Qin Mengxue couldn’t hold back any longer; the words tumbled out in a torrent.

Xue Gangtao was thunderstruck. Engagement? What engagement?

But her insult—“degenerate in fine clothes”—wasn’t lost on him. “Miss Qin, I suggest you don’t slander me. I’ve never been engaged, nor will I ever be. My dream is a harem; I’ll never be shackled by monogamy. If you just called to vent, I’m hanging up. I admit I’m no saint, but I’m not the kind who enjoys being abused.” Without waiting for a reply, he ended the call.

After hanging up, Xue Gangtao calmed himself. Then a faint memory surfaced—there had indeed been a family engagement to the Qin family, arranged by the grandfathers. Because his father’s generation hadn’t fulfilled it, the engagement had trickled down to the third generation. But the intended wasn’t him—it was someone else. He tried to recall the figure from his distant childhood, but the memory was faint—over ten years ago, perhaps. He gave a wry smile.

She must have misunderstood. After all, to outsiders, he was said to be the only male in his generation of the Xue family. Silently, he offered a moment’s pity for the shadowy figure in his memory—it would be no joy to bring home such an icy beauty.

Still, to avoid a deeper misunderstanding, Xue Gangtao tapped out a message to Qin Mengxue: “Miss Qin Mengxue, apologies for my earlier tone. However, I am not the person you are engaged to. Still, I wish you happiness in your engagement.”

Qin Mengxue sat there, dazed and blank. What? She wasn’t engaged to Xue Gangtao at all?

Her phone pinged. She saw his message—confirmation that he was not her intended fiancé.

Could it have all been a misunderstanding, just a trick played by the old men in her family? Was she never truly engaged at all?

Relief flooded her; she nearly broke into celebration. But just then, her phone rang again.

She glanced at the unfamiliar number, her brief joy cooling. If it were a business call, it would have gone through reception. Only a select few would call her directly, so she paused, deciding to celebrate after answering.

She picked up. Before she could speak, a voice on the other end sent a chill through her heart.

“Is this Qin Mengxue? I am your fiancé.” That was all the voice said.